Helen Maria Schilling

Helen Maria (Izzi) Schilling, age 87, passed away on Monday, May 11, 2020 in Naples, Florida after a short illness. She is survived by her extremely devoted husband of sixty two years, Frank J. Schilling of Naples, Florida.

Helen was born in Providence, Rhode Island and was the oldest daughter of Mario and Helen Izzi’s four daughters. She graduated from James T. Lockwood High School in the early 1950’s and was accepted at the University of Rhode Island majoring in dietetics and nutrition. While studying at the University of Rhode Island she was president of Kappa Omicron Nu and a member of Phi Beta Kappa, both honor societies. She was also a member of the Alpha Zi Delta sorority.

Helen graduated from the University of Rhode Island. Due to her academic excellence she was granted a full scholarship into a highly competitive and rigorous Master of Science program at The Ohio State University. She graduated with honors and was a life long member of the American Dietetics Association. She was a Registered Dietitian for more than fifty years.

It was at Ohio State that she met her husband Frank J. Schilling. They married in Rhode Island shortly after Frank was hired by General Electric. Her husband’s position at GE required them to move to Manhattan, New York, Lynn, Massachusetts, Cincinnati, Ohio, Erie, Pennsylvania, and Brookfield, Wisconsin. Helen was a Professor at Villa Maria College in Pennsylvania and also a Professor at Mount Mary College in Wisconsin. She was on the staff of the Medical College of Wisconsin at Froedtert Hospital as a Registered Dietician. She served in academics in every state in which she resided.

Helen and her husband retired to Naples, Florida in the 1980’s. She practiced as a Registered Dietitian for many long term care facilities in Southwest Florida. Helen supervised the dietary department requirements. She used her expertise to focus on foods that were healthy, nutritious, and presented in an appealing manner.

In 2011 Helen and her husband made a gift of six million dollars to the University of Rhode Island for scholarships. It was the largest gift by an individual the University had ever received. Their gift will fund the Frank and Helen Izzi Schilling Scholarship Endowment, which will provide four year scholarships to academically achieving students across all disciplines.

Helen is survived by her husband, Frank Schilling of Naples, Florida; children, Helen M. Schilling, M.D. of Houston, Texas and Paul J. Schilling, M.D. (Jay Dutton D.V.M.) of St. Augustine, Florida; three sisters, Rita Izzi Santilli (Anthony), Eileen Izzi Bryan (Bruce), and Maria Izzi Greene, all of Narragansett, Rhode Island; grandson, Evan D. Pfeffer of Houston, Texas; cousin, Steven A. Cardi of East Greenwich, Rhode Island; nephews, Anthony L. Santilli Jr., Thomas A. Santilli, and Peter A. Santilli, all of Narragansett, Rhode Island; and many great nieces and nephews.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents, Mario T. Izzi and Helen Perrino Izzi; brother-in-law, Thomas Greene; and two aunts, Adeline Cardi and Jeanette Cardi.

A Visitation will be held on Tuesday, May 19, 2020 from 12:45pm-1:45pm at Hodges Funeral Home at Naples Memorial Gardens with a Catholic Funeral Mass to follow at 2:00pm at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church next door to the funeral home. Interment at Naples Memorial Gardens will be held privately.